Services We Provide

Services to all Schools and Academies

The Governor Services Team supports all schools and academies within Bolton in order to maintain effective governance and communication, regardless of whether they purchase any of our traded services. For all schools and academies, the Governor Services Team will:

Maintain a database of governing board records for all maintained schools and academies in Bolton which includes details on membership and terms of office.

Establish new and temporary governing boards and make arrangements for producing and updating Instruments of Government for maintained schools.

Ensure that governors are provided with access to information to undertake their legal responsibilities.

Produce regular communications for chairs, school leaders and clerks to governors on current school governance matters including termly updates.

Advise schools/academies on election procedures for parent and staff governors.

Act as an access point to other areas of expertise in the Authority.

Report to the Executive Cabinet Member on governance related matters.

Ensure access to a wide ranging programme of development for governors.

Provide for termly Partnership Forum meetings to keep governors up to date and informed about local and national initiatives and to develop and share good practice in governance.

Provide access to on-line guidance and information through this website to support governors in their role.

Provide access to termly Chairs' Briefing sessions to equip Chairs of Governors with the knowledge, information and advice needed to effectively undertake their role.

Governing Body Clerking and Support Service (Traded Service)

The Governing Board Clerking and Support Service is recognised by many school leaders and governors as a professional, high quality provision which is responsive to the changing needs of schools. Through the Clerking and Support Service, the Governor Services Team will:

Provide Governance Support Officers who are experienced in minute writing and meeting procedures and produce an accurate account of meetings that record clear resolutions and detail challenge and support.

Assist the governing board in agenda planning, preparation and the distribution of relevant documentation to ensure they fulfil their statutory duties.

Ensure that governing boards comply with governance law and procedure in undertaking their statutory duties.

Provide procedural advice on difficult issues such as confidentiality and pecuniary and conflicts of interest.

Provide a service to meet the individual requirements of governing boards.

Assist the governing board in establishing and reviewing a committee structure which ensures compliance with legal requirements in respect of financial and staffing delegation structures.

Ensure governing boards comply with regulations which prevent any governor or head teacher from clerking full governing board meetings.

Be available at all times throughout the working day to provide prompt response to telephone calls and emails in order to access a wide range of knowledge, experience, information and advice on current issues and good practice.

Provide up-to-date independent and impartial advice on matters affecting governing boards (impartiality is difficult to maintain if the role is undertaken by school employees)

Assist with the sharing of good practice and problem solving.

Help maintain links between the Bolton family of schools and the Local Authority with its wide network of services.

Ensure pre-appointment clearance procedures are completed for new and re-appointed governors.

Provide access, with no additional charge, to termly Chairs' Briefing sessions to equip Chairs of Governors with the knowledge, information and advice needed to effectively undertake their role.

Governing boards can choose to purchase two levels of service as part of the service level agreement as follows:

Option 1 - Clerking of three full governing board meetings per year plus full support, advice and guidanceOption 2 - The same as option 1 plus clerking of other additional meetings such as additional full governing board, ‘working’ committees (personnel, finance, school effectiveness etc.), statutory/standing committees (pupil discipline, complaints etc.), collaborative working groups and interim executive board meetings.

Governor Training Service (Traded Service)

Through the annual Governor Training Programme, the Governor Services Team can provide access to a comprehensive programme of centre based training to assist governors in undertaking their roles effectively. Through the Governor Training Service, the Governor Services Team will:

Provide a comprehensive annual programme of events for school and academy governors to access good quality training which is monitored and evaluated to provide quality assurance.

Ensure that training sessions are held at various times throughout the day and early evening to allow governors to attend at their convenience.

Provide an online booking service that governors can access 24 hours a day to gain information about training opportunities and to reserve their place on sessions and events.

Provide a pack of materials and hand-outs for each attendee to facilitate their learning.

Evaluate all sessions to ensure that objectives have been met and to quality assure the provision.

Apply a 10% discount for any bespoke development or commissioned training purchased.

Provide access, with no additional charge, to termly Chairs' Briefing sessions to equip Chairs of Governors with the knowledge, information and advice needed to effectively undertake their role.

The cost of the service is paid via a single annual charge which is dependent on the size of your governing board. If your Governing Board has signed up to the Governor Training Service Level Agreement, attendance on sessions within the programme are free of charge, with the exception of Safer Recruitment which is individually priced.

Governor Development Service (Traded Service)

The Governor Services Team can provide bespoke development or a programme of development to meet the individual needs of governing boards and cluster groups. Through the Governor Development Service, the Governor Services Team will:

Identify key areas of development for governing boards and governor cluster groups to strengthen governance and assist strategic working.

Design a bespoke development session or programme of sessions to agreed specifications.

Deliver the session(s) at a mutually convenient time, date and venue prescribed by the governing board or cluster group.

Provide a pack of materials and hand-outs for each attendee to facilitate their learning.

Evaluate the session to ensure that objectives have been met and to quality assure the provision.

Bespoke development sessions, packages and commissioned training are to be charged on an individual basis and negotiated with the service.

A copy of the full service level agreement which details the services offered by the Governor Services Team may be downloaded below. For further information or for an informal discussion about purchasing any of our services, please contact John Ashworth, Governor Services Manager on 01204 338603 or via email at john.ashworth@bolton.gov.uk